Curtains

ABSTRACT

Method for producing a curtain in which adhesive is placed on a portion of one side thereof, the curtain then being folded in the region of the adhesive within which fold suspension means to be used for suspending the curtain is mounted.

Aug. 1, 1972 D.-FoGGo 3,681,158

CURTAINS Filed March 17/ 1969 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 7: 0! D I a: n? INVENTOR:

8/ /0 0 Bfarhaq, maven.

United States Patent 3,681,158 CURTAINS James Douglas Foggo, Cheadle Hulme, England, assignor to Thomas French & Sons Limited Filed Mar. 17, 1969, Ser. No. 807,903 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Apr. 18, 1968, 18,374/ 68 Int. Cl. B3211 3/04 US. Cl. l5670 14 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Method for producing a curtain in which adhesive is placed on a portion of one side thereof, the curtain then being folded in the region of the adhesive within which fold suspension means to be used for suspending the curtain is mounted.

This invention concerns curtains and in particular the manner in which they may be pleated, hemmed and where necessary, joined to produce widths greater than the width of the fabric used for their production.

As is known it is often necessary to produce curtains with pleating of considerable depth at the upper region thereof so that the curtains will hang in a pleasing manner and will have sufiicient stiffness in the upper region to ensure that the upper extremity lies above the suspension rail or at least extends to the level of the rail. The object of such pleating, in addition to the need for the curtain to hang in a pleasing manner, is to hide the suspension rail and thus obviate the need for pelmets.

In addition it is often necessary to join widths of curtain material along their edges to produce widths greater than that to which the fabric is woven, and also to provide a hem at the lower edge of the curtain to prevent fraying.

Normally the joining of lengths of material and the hemming is carried out by stitching and this is a lengthy operation (particularly with wide and long curtains). Additionally the production of pleats has generally neces sitated the use of curtain heading tape which has been secured to the curtain by stitching, the desired form of pleating being achieved by the use of draw cords in the curtain heading tape. To produce sufficiently stiff headings it is often necessary to provide wide curtain heading tape and the cost of such tape is relatively high.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a means whereby curtains may be produced either wholly or partially without recourse to stitching operations.

A further object of the present invention is to simplify the manner in which the upper region of the curtain may be pleated to any required depth rapidly and in any desired configuration of pleats.

According to the present invention the method of producing a region at the upper edge of a curtain which is adapted to be pleated includes the steps of coating at least partially the upper region of the reverse face of a curtain material with a thermoplastic of thermosetting adhesive substance, folding the upper edge of the curtain to produce a hem of the requisite length, and providing a suspension means at the folded hem to enable the curtain to be provided with removable suspension hooks or the like, causing or allowing the adhesive to set to retain the suspension means in position and to enable pleats to be formed.

Preferably the method includes the step of coating the curtain material to the requisite depth from the upper edge, by the application of spaced strips of adhesive spaced across the width of the curtain, locating a cord across the curtain and punching the latter to produce 3,681,158 Patented Aug. 1 1972 "ice holes through which loops of cord can pass, said cord being located in that region of the coated portion of the material which is to be folded to form the hem, folding the hem and causing it to adhere to the upper region of the body of the curtain to retain the hem and locate the loops of cord on the reverse face of the curtain and allowing or causing the adhesive to set.

Conveniently the cord is formed into loops at each of the uncoated spaces on the curtain material, these latter facing hinges or fold lines at which (or some of which) the curtain may fold to form pleats.

Preferably the punching of the curtain material is achieved using a needle or the like and the cord loops are formed by subsequent passage of the cord through the holes punched in the curtain material, the said cord being pushed through the holes by the needle used to punch same.

In one respect the suspension means is in the form of a curtain heading tape which is caused to adhere to the curtain at spaced positions corresponding to the pleating formation chosen whilst the tape is held in an unpleated condition, thereby to enable curtain hooks to be attached to the curtain heading tape in known manner at the positions of the pleats and to control, when in use, the amount by which the pleats formed by folding the curtain can open.

Alternatively the tape may be used without the cord in which case gripper hooks are attached to the curtain at such positions as will enable them to act as a control means for controlling the amount by which the curtain can be extended, and also to control the pleating.

In a still further alternative arrangement there is provided a control cord or cords to control the amounts by which the pleats can open this cord or these cords being used in conjunction with the looped cord located within the curtain hem.

A further alternative arrangement comprises the provision of a control cord or cords adapted to control the amount by which the pleats can open, this cord or cords being used in conjunction with pin hooks located within the curtain hem at the requisite positions for providing the pleating effect desired.

The invention will now be described further, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings. in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of part of a curtain during the process of manufacture;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 of the curtain at a later stage of production;

FIG. 3 is a view of part of a curtain including pleatmg hooks and showing one form of pleating;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 of a modification of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 of a modification of the pleating arrangement; and

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view of the part of the curtain shown in FIG. 4.

To produce a curtain in accordance with the invention a sufiicient width of the curtain material 10 at that end which is to be pleated is coated on its reverse side with a series of spaced parallel longitudinally oriented strips 11 of adhesive which are formed across the whole width of the curtain material 10.

The spaces 12 between the strips 11 of adhesive serve, in use, as lines along which the curtain can hinge so as to pleat easily.

Before the adhesive becomes cured a cord 13 is laid thereon, starting from one edge of the curtain and at each hinge line '12 a hole 14 is pierced in the material 10 and a loop 15 or cord 13 is pushed through the hole 14. The cord 13 is positioned in this particular case, midway be- 3 tween the extreme edge 16 of the material 10* and a fold line 17 (shown in broken line in FIG. 1) along which the curtain material 10 is folded to form a hem 18 (see FIG. 2) When the material 10 is folded as shown in FIG. 2 the cord '13 is firmly held in position between the layers 11 of adhesive and the loops 15 project from the reverse side of the hemmed material. If a hem of six inches depth is required the adhesive strips 11 extend for twelve inches from the edge 16 of the material 10. The adhesive is now allowed or caused to cure. The adhesive 11 should be capable of withstanding the effects of washing in soaps or detergents or cleaning by the usual dry cleaning fluids.

.The opposite end of the curtain material 10 is coated either by the provision of a continuous line or by a discontinuous line of adhesive 19 and is turned up to form a hem along the bottom of the curtain and if desired the edges 20 may also be coated with adhesive to form hems along the sides of the curtain.

If the curtain requires more than one width of fabric a seam can be produced along the joint of the two lengths of fabric and by overlapping one length on the other to bring the adhesive coated edges 20 into contact the widths of fabric can be joined together. The fact that the cords 13 of each of the lengths of fabric are separate does not interfere with the manner in which pleating is obtained since the cords 13 are securely held by the adhesive strips 11 in each piece of fabric.

In FIG. 3 there is shown one form of pleating for the curtain described above. As can be seen a hook 21 is inserted in alternate loops 15, so that evenly formed pleating is achieved for example by attaching three (or any other convenient number) of the loops 15 to one hook pinch pleats can be formed, these may be separated by any desired length of unpleated curtain by omitting hooks from a series of loops 15 between each group of loops 15 attached to a hook 21.

In a modification of the curtain just referred to there is provided a continuous layer of adhesive along the top of the curtain fabric. The cord is laid in position and looped through the fabric as described above and then after forming the hem by folding the coated width of fabric it is hand pleated in any desired manner and held in the pleated form during curing of the adhesive. The pleating effect so achieved is of a permanent nature due to the lack of hinge lines 12. The pleating is so formed that a loop or series of loops is positioned at the apex of the pleats to receive hooks 21- to enable the curtain to be suspended.

In the arrangement shown in FIGS. 4 to 6 there is provided, in addition to the cord 13 and loops 14 a curtain heading tape 22 in which there are a large number of pockets 23 (preferably one adjoining the next). This curtain heading tape 22 serves as a control member which limits the amount by which the pleated curtain can be extended from a fully folded condition.

In the arrangement of FIG. 4 it will be seen that a curtain having continuous pleating is formed by attaching hooks 21 to alternate loops 14 and then with the curtain in a pleated condition attaching the curtain heading tape 22. to the hooks 21 without allowing it to hang loosely between its attachment points to the hooks 21. In this Way when the curtain is opened out the pleats are controlled as to the amount by which they can open by the fact that the heading tape 22 becomes taut before the pleats are straightened out. By placing the hooks 21 in more closely or more widely spaced pockets 23 of the tape 22 the amount of opening of the pleats can be altered to suit any particular requirements.

FIG. shows a modified form of pleating using a curtain heading tape 22 as a control member. In this case the so called pinch pleats are formed by attaching a hook 21 to three alternate loops and to a pocket 23 of the tape, omitting hooks from two loops and then attaching the next hook 21 to three alternate loops 14. The tape 22 is held taut across the space S between the pleats P formed 4 in the curtain to lie adjacent the unpleated space S of curtain and so on. When the curtain is extended the pinch pleats are formed at intervals across its width and between these pinch pleats are unpleated spaces as shown.

FIG. 6 shows in cross section a part of the curtain of FIG. 4 or 5 but illustrates a modified form of hook. This form of hook (having two prongs 24) enables the hook to be positioned on the loops 15 of the cord 13 by passing them over one prong 24 and then passing the pocket 23 of tape 22 over the shank 25 of the hook as a separate operation.

In the case in which the adhesive 11 is applied as a continuous strip across the full width of the curtain the sharpness of definition of the pleats depends upon the amount of pressure used to press the pleates into position as the adhesive cures. In this form of pleating the pleats remain permanent because no hinge lines are formed.

The invention is not restricted to the above details. For example, the curtain can be hemmed using an adhesive on the reverse side as explained above and then the heading tape can be caused to adhere to the reverse face of the hem by the use of a further adhesive which is placed on the reverse face of the hem at the apex of the pleats. In this case the curtain would be held in a pleated condition with the adhesiwe strips at the apex of the pleats until the heading tape had become firmly fixed to the curtain. The headings tape would be applied with loose lengths between the attachment points to the curtain to allow it to open from a closely pleated condition to a less closely pleated condition, when opened out so that in this case the tape would act as a combined member and a suspension means.

If desired the control member may be in the form of a cord as opposed to a tape, in which case pin hooks or gripper hooks would be used at the suspension points along the curtain.

The adhesive used is conveniently one which will cause immediate adherence by the application of pressure, and will become completely cured without the continued maintenance of this pressure.

What is claimed is:

1. A method for producing a suspendable curtain comprising the steps of at least covering partially a face of a curtain material with an adhesive substance, folding the curtain to produce a folded portion, mounting a cord in the said folded portion and on the adhesive substance for suspending the curtain and setting the adhesive to retain the cord in position and to permit the formation of pleats and placing one or more openings in at least one face of said folded portion to permit suspension of the said curtain from said cord.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 including the step of pleating said curtain, and providing at least one control cord having a predetermined length for controlling the amount by which the pleats can open, mounting said control cord on said curtain to prevent unfolding of the curtain beyond a predetermined amount.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2 including the steps of coating the curtain material to the requisite depth from the upper edge, by the application of spaced strips of adhesive spaced across the width of the curtain, locating a cord across the curtain and punching the latter to produce holes through which loops of cord can pass, said cord being located in that region of the coated portion of the material which is to be folded to form the hem, folding the hem and causing it to adhere to the upper region of the body of the curtain to retain the hem and locate the loops of the cord on the reverse face of the curtain and allowing or causing the adhesive to set.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3 in which the cord is formed into loops at each of the uncoated spaces on the curtain material, these latter forming hinges or fold lines at which (or some of which) the curtain may fold to form pleats.

5. The method as claimed in claim 3 in which punching of the curtain material is achieved using a needle or the like and the cord loops are formed by subsequent passage of the cord through the holes punched in the curtain material, the said cord being pushed through the holes by the needle used to punch same.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 including the steps of hemming the material at its upper edge using an adhesive applied to the material, and subsequently attaching a suspension means in the form of a curtain heading tape which is caused to adhere to the curtain at spaced positions corresponding to the pleating formation chosen while the tape is held in an unpleated condition, thereby to enable curtain hooks to be attached to the curtain heading tape in known manner at the positions of the pleats and to control, when in use, the amount by which the pleats formed by folding the curtain can open.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 including the provision of gripper hooks adapted to be attached to the curtain at the apex of the pleats and thereby to control the amount by which each curtain can be extended from a folded condition and additionally to control the pleating effect.

8. The method of producing a curtain having an upper hem as claimed in claim 1 including the step of coating the sides of the curtain with adhesive and forming side hems by folding the curtain along its sides.

9. The method of producing a curtain having an upper hem ac claimed in claim 8 including the step of applying an adhesive to the lower end of the curtain, folding same and forming a lower hem.

10. The method of producing a curtain having an upper hem as claimed in claim 1 including the step of seaming two widths of curtain material along corresponding edges by the application of an adhesive to the front face of both pieces of material, causing the adhesive coating to adhere to secure the two lengths of material together and allowing or causing the adhesive to cure.

11. The method of producing a curtain having an upper hem as claimed in claim 1 including the step of using an adhesive which is resilient to the action of soaps, detergents and cleaning fluids.

12. The method of producing a curtain having an upper hem as claimed in claim 1 including the step of using an adhesive.

13. The method as claimed in claim 1 including the step of pleating said curtain and providing at least one cord adapted to control the amount by which the pleats can open, locating pin hooks in said curtain, mounting said cord on said pin hooks to determine the maximum distance between said hooks when the curtain is in unfolded condition.

14. The method as claimed in claim 1 including the step of applying a continuous layer of adhesive across the width of a curtain material at its upper edge, applying a cord to the adhesive layer, forming a hem by folding the coated portion of the curtain, placing holes in at least one of the folded sides of the curtain forming loops of cord at said holes, folding the curtain into pleated form before the curing of the adhesive and allowing it to cure whilst the hem is in pleated form thus to provide permanent pleats, the sharpness of definition thereof being a function of the pressure applied to the pleats during curing of the adhesive.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,799,611 7/1957 Driesbach 15670 3,372,729 3 /1968 Lindenmayer 160330 3,422,879 1/1969' Ryan 160-330 BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner J. V. DORAMUS, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 160330 

